Until recently, Stewart Lee was still flogging his own DVDs in the foyer after
his shows, but a couple of BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and a pair of 2011 British Comedy Awards have taken him on to the next level, a state of affairs that doesn’t sit entirely comfortably with this most contrary of standups.
On Carpet Remnant World ★★★★★, Lee brilliantly plays off this awkward dichotomy, dividing his audience into those who ‘get’ his multi-layered deconstructionism and those who are only there because they’ve seen him on the telly, explaining to them: ‘I’m so good at stand-up, I make it look as if I can’t do it.’
The show’s thrust is that Lee is devoid of material, since he spends his days either driving up and down motorways to gigs or watching Scooby Doo with his young son. So he’s taken to cruising London’s North Circular in the vain hope that something funny will happen, thereby neatly mocking the observational style of comedy favoured by so many successful stand-ups.
Only Lee could get away with writing a show about not having a show, but he pulls all the threads together with such understated aplomb that you can’t help but marvel at his utterly distinct approach. Really, it’s ridiculously good.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com